Car coupling



April 20, 1926.

A. A, Moss CAR COUPLING Filed May 25, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll; mm H i i llui Patented Apr. 29, 1926.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT AUGUSTUS MOSS, OE NEWARK, NEW/JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO CHARLES V. IVICULOUD, '01? WEST'ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CAR COUPLING.

inseam filed May 25,

T0 aZZ whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT AUGUSTUS Moss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and '5 State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Car Coupling, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention has reference to car couplings, the primary object of the invention being to provide a coupling wherein the pivoted knuckle forming apart thereof, will be automatically moved to a locking position, when the coupling heads of adjacent cars are moved into engagement with each other.

Another object'of the invention is to provide-means disposed at one side of the car for controlling the locking mechanism of the coupling, thereby permitting the knuckle of the coupling-to be moved to its unlocked position, from a point remote from the coupling. v

lVi-th the foregoing and other objects 111 view which will appear as'thedescri-ption proceeds, the-invention resides in the combination and arrangement of sparts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scopeof what is "claimed, Without departing from'the spirit of the invention.

Referring to thedrawings: Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a coupling head constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof. Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a coupling read.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4- 1 of "Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the head. Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 isa perspective view of the looking knuckle. v

FigureS is 'aperspective View of the pivoted locking member cooperating with the locking knuckle. I V

Figure 9 is a fragment-a1 sectional view through the lower portion of the coupling 'h'ead disclosing the inclined ribQ 7 Referring to the drawings in detail, the

922. Serial No. ses,4ss.-

reference character 5 designates the coupling head which is supported on one end of the coupling beam 6 that is supported in the usual and well known manner under the body of a car.

The head 5 is formed with a cut outpertion providing an integral guard member 7 which cooperates with the movable knuckle 8, for locking the coupling of the adjacent car to the couplingihe'ad. The knuckle '8 is pivotally supported between the arms 9 and 10 respectively, formed at the upper and lower sides of the head 5, there being provided an opening in the knuckle Sto accommodate the pivot bolt 11 for-{pivotally supporting the knuckle.

Formedin the inner surfaces of each of the arms 9 and 10 are grooves 12 to accommodate the lugs 13 and 14 formed at opposite ends of the knuckle 8, whereby the strain directed to the knuckle caused by couplings moving into engagement with each other is distributed-through the lugs, there I by relieving the pivot bolt 11 of undue strain. Formed under the arm 10 is a depending flange 15, which is formed with an inwardly extending flange 16 cut away as at 17 topermit the lug 18' carried at the lower end of the locking bolt 11 to pass within "the confines of the flange 15, whereupon rotation of the bolt 11 brings the lug to rest on the inwardly extending flange 16.

. Formed at the lower end of the bolt 11 is an upwardly extending arm 19 which is formed with an opening to receive a cotter pin or the like, the arm 19be1ng however disposed between the apertured depending flanges 20, whereupon the cotter pin may be passed through the apertures of the depending flanges to lock the bolt 11 against rotary movement.

The inner portion of the head 5 is cut away to provide a clearance for the horizon tally disposed arm 21 which is formed with an upwardly extending finger 22that engages the rear portion of the knuckle 8.

This arm is designed to move transversely.

of the head to carry the knuckle to a position throwing the outer or locking end thereof out of engagement with the knuckle associated therewith in the uncoupling of cars. 7

The lower portion of the arm is disposed in horizontal relation with the lower surface'of the coupler head and carries-a latl eral extension 23 pivotally supported at 22. The extension 23 is pivotally connected with the controlling arm 24 at 24 and has pivotal connection with the vertically movable pin 25, as at 26. This vertically movable pin 25 is provided with a reduced. extension 25 formed at its upper end which is eccentrically located and is designed to fit in the opening 26 formed in the member 30. Thus it will be seen that due to this construction, as the member moves rearwardly, the opening 26 is brought to a position over the extension 25 to lock the member 30 to the pin 25.

The rear end of the knuckle 8 is formed with notches 27, adjacent to the upper edge thereof, while the flange 28 which is formed adjacent to the lower edge of the knuckle, is formed with teeth 29, for purposes to be hereinafter more fully described.

Associated with the knuckle is a locking member 30 which is pivotally supported within the head as by means of the bar 25, which has its upper end cut away to accommodate a transversely extending flange 31 formed on the locking member 30 so that vertical movement of the bar 25 will result in a relative vertical movement of the looking member 30. The locking member 30 is formed with a lowerrfiange 32 which has teeth 33 formed in the lower surface thereof, which teeth cooperate with the teeth 29 to hold the locking member in a halfdocked position, should the knuckle 8 be moved inwardly by a force insuilicient to move the knuckle to itslocked position, the weight of the locking member being sufiicient to normally hold the teeth 33 thereof into engage ment with the teeth 29 of the flange 28.

\Vhen the knuckle is in a half-locked posi-- tion, it is obvious that the inner edge of the locking member 30 will swing between certain notches 2'? of the knuckle to further hold the knuckle against unlocking.

A locking shoulder 34 is also formed on the locking member 30, and this locking shoulder is designed to engage the shoulder 35 of the knuckle 8 when the knuckle has been moved to its closed or active position. The edge 36 of the shoulder 34 of the looking member engages within the notches 27 of the knuckle 8. Should the force of conplings coming together be insufficient to throw the knuckle to its locked position, the edge 36 of the shoulder 34 of the locking member engages within one of the notches 2-7 of the knuckle 8 locking the knuckle 8 in a half-closed position.

Formed at the upper end of the locking member 30 is a finger 37 that is adapted to contact with the inclined surface 38 formed within the locking head, so that when the locking member 30 moves vertically, the locking member will be given a slight rotary movement to move the looking member 30 and shoulder 34 to a position behind the shoulder 35 of the knuckle 8 and hold the knuckle in its unlocked position.

A curved inclined rib, or helix 39 is formed within the head 5, the helix being provided for engagement with the finger 40 of the locking member to cause the locking member to gravitate to its locked position when the knuckle has been moved to its locked position. This finger 40 is also adapted to engage the rib 42 when the locking member 30 is moved to its unlocked position to hold the member 30 in its lock set position. In order that the locking member will be restricted in its rearward movement, a stop is provided at the rear of the head and lies within thenath of travel of the locking member. 'Extending laterally from the locking member is a finger 41 which contacts with one wall of the head to prevent the locking member from rotating to a position to become wedged between the inner endv of the knuckle and inner surface of the head.

The controlling arm 24 is formed with a head 42, which arm is held within the elongated link 43 carried by the operating bar '44, to allow for inward movement of the coupler head independently of the operating bar 44. The bar 44 is also formed at one of its ends with an elongated opening 45 to accommodate the bolt 46 secured to the frame of the car to which the coupler is secured, to allow for lateral movement of the coupler head and operating bar with respect to the car.

Thus it will be seen that the coupler head may pivot laterally, when a train equipped therewith, moves over a curved portion of a railway track. An operating lever inclicated at 47 depends from the body of thecar, and is formed with a cut out portion providing inclined walls 48, and an elon gated opening 49. This arm is disposed adjacent to the bar 44, which bar 44 carries a pin 50 which normally lies within the cut out portion and contacts with one of the inclined walls 48 of the lever 47 to raise the bar 44, when the lever 47 is moved laterally. r

In the operation'of the device, assuming that the knuckle 8 is in open position, and a similar coupling is to be locked thereto, it is obvious that when the locking knuckles contact, the locking knuckle will be swung inwardly where the rear end thereof moves within the head 5, the shoulder 35 moving behind the shoulder 34 of the locking member, whereupon the knuckle is securely locked against movement.

Vihen it is desired to disengage the coupling heads, the bar 44 is moved upwardly in a manner as described, whereupon the locking member is moved upwardly within the head and that when the locking member has reached the limit of its upward movement, further movement of the controlling arm 24 Will cause the arm 21 to swing to Wards the locking member causing the upwardly extended finger 22 to force the inner end of the knuckle 8 outwardly to disengage the coupler associated therewith.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as neW is 1. In a car coupler, a head, a pivoted knuckle mounted Within the head, a locking member Within the head for locking the knuckle in its closed position, said locking member having an opening extending therethrough, a flange closing a portion of one end of the opening, an operating bar mounted Within the opening and adapted to engage the flange to raise the locking member to unlock the knuckle, said rod adapted to engage one edge of the flange, to hold the locking member against pivotal move ment, and means for operating the bar.

2. In a car coupler, a head, a pivoted knuckle mounted Withinthe head, a locking member Within the head for locking the knuckle in its closed position, said locking member having a vertical opening, a flange closing a portion of one end of the opening, an operating bar having a reduced end portion fitted in the opening, said operating rod adapted to engage the flange to elevate the locking member, the reduced portion of the rod adapted to engage one edge of the flange to lock the locking member to the rod, and means for operating the rod.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

ALBERT AUGUSTUS MOSS. 

